Automatic cribbage board



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United States Patent O 3,266,724 AUTOMATIC CRIBBAGE BOARD William J. Johnson, 5045 Windsor Ave.,

Minneapolis, Minn. Filed Mar. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 443,196 11 Claims. (Cl. 23S-90) The present invention has relation to Cribbage boards and more particularly to an automatic Cribbage board in which the marking pegs are permanently installed and the game is scored by pushing down the proper pegs as points yare scored.

There have long been many types ot Cribbage boards on the market. The basic problem with Cribbage boards is losing lthe pegs for scoring the game and consequently it is usual to replace the boa-rd often instead olf attempting to purchase pegs only. The device of the present invention presents an automatic Cribbage board wherein the pegs are permanently installed in the 'board and can be used for marking as desired. The board can be reset after a street has been counted very simply, and the unit is easy to move and transport. Additional features reside in the 'overall pleasing appearance ot the Cribbage board and the novel design of the peg supports. The pegs which are used for marking are of a special design to insure easy installation, uniform operation and long life. The pegs each have a head, a shank and an enlarged knoblike bottom portion. The enlarged bottom portion is compressible to be substantially the same diameter as the shank whereby the peg is readily insertable within the Once installed, the enlarged bottom portion off the peg prevents its removal from the peg support.

It is the principal object ott the present invention to vpresent a Cribbage board wherein the scoring pegs are and is readily'adapted to mass production methods whereg by it can be produced at relatively lost Cost.

Other objects will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a top plan View of a Cribbage board made according to the present invention;

(FIG. 2 is a side elevational view taken as on the line 2 2 ot FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view taken as on the line 3-3 ot FIG.V2;

IFIG. 4 is a side elevational View ot a marking peg used with the Cribbage board ott the present invention; and

|FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view ott a modi-tied Aform of the present invention. Referring to the drawings and numerals ott reference, an 'automatic Cribbage board 10 is shown comprised broadly olf a base member 11 and a plurality ott peg supports 12 which in turn support marking pegs 14. The peg supports 12 are mounted on the base member 11 by means of spring-loaded pin connectors 16. Each ort these essential components will now be described in det-ail. The base member 11 is rectangular in shape and includes the upst-anding ribs 18 that extend longitudinally in parallel spaced relation and serve as supports for the peg supports 12. The peg supports 12 are channel me-mbers extending in overlying coextensive relation with the ribs 1'8. There are [four peg supports shown and each includes side member 20 and a uniting top member 22. The peg supports 12 have a plurality olf marking pegs 14 frictionally slidably mounted through openings or peg mounting holes 21 in the topmember 22 of the peg supports. Ilop members 22 are dished slightly to Contribute to a pleasing appearance.

'Each olf the peg supports mounts thirty pegs. The pegs are arranged in groups of live as is customary with Cribbage boards whereby each peg support forms a scoring path or Street The peg supports 12 are mounted by pin connectors 16 located at opposite ends and which pass through pertiorations or openings 24 on the peg supports 12 and aligned pertorations 26 on the base member 11. The pin Connectors are each flxedly attached to the peg support 12 by suitable lock washers 28 and their lower ends have speed nuts 30 which in turn normally bear against the top surface of a mounting hole 32 provided in base member 11. A separate compression Coil spring 36 is mounted over each of the pin Connectors 16 and is positioned between the top sur-tace of the base member 11 and the bottom suniiace orf its respective peg support 12. The pin connectors 16 have heads 17 which serve as stops and limit the amount that the peg support can move with respect t-o the base member.

As will be appreciated, the side members 20 of the peg support members 12 extend downwardly so as to completely conceal the springs 36. Accordingly, the springs are protected from damage and also a design of this type contributes to a very pleasing overall appearance olf the Cribbage board since the springs which are rather unsightly have been completely concealed from the View of the players.

FIG. 4 shows the pegs 14 comprising a top portion or head 38, a shank 40 and a bottom portion 42. The bottom portion 42 is axially split and includes the knob-like tip portion 43 having outwardly directed shoulders. By provision of the axially split bottom portion 42, the same is compressible sufficient to allow the peg to be inserted within the mounting holes that are provided on the peg supports 12. Once the peg is installed, the bottom portion 42 expands and thus the pegs are permanently mounted in the peg supports 12.

Operation The pegs can be moved Ifrom a normal extended position wherein the tip portions 43 engage the undersurface of the peg supports 12 to a depressed position wherein the heads 38 bear lagainst the top members 20 of the peg supports.

When a hand of Cribbage is to be scored, the proper peg is moved to -its depressed position, as illustrated by the right hand peg of FIG. 2. Each Iof the players uses two of the peg Isupports 12 for a scoring path. If desired all of the pegs of a scoring path or street can be depressed as the player counts, or merely the last peg can be depressed which will indicate the Correct amount of advancement down the street When a player has traveled or scored the length of one-of the peg supports 12 and is moving over to another street the peg support which he is leaving is depressed so that the bottom edges of the side members 22 Contact the top surface of the base member 11 and the previously depressed pegs are pushed upwardly through their holes to their -original extended position.

In previous Cribbage or tally boards using slidably mounted pegs in support bars, it has been a Constant problem to maintain uniform friction between the pegs and the side surfaces of the holes in which the pegs are mounted. When wood is used for pegs and peg supports, the humidity has a very great effect on the size of the pegs land either the pegs will fall freely through the holes, or else they can not be moved at all. In the device of the present invention the pegs are made of a suitable plastic material, and the bottom portion (being longitudinally split) will always exert a resilient force against the side surfaces of the holes and maintain a uniform frictional t regardless of the humidity in the atmosphere where the board is being used.

The compression springs are of such a rate that they will resist downward movement of the peg supports 12 when individual pegs are depressed, yet enable the peg supports to be easily depressed when necessary to reset.

FIG. 7 shows a modilied form of the present invention. Base 11 and peg supports 12 are mounted as shown with pin 16. However, in place of the springs a resilient compression .Collar 45 is mounted about each of the pin connectors 16 between the top surfaces of base member 11, and the bottom surface of each of the peg supports 12. When a peg support is to be reset, it is merely depressed as before and the compression collar 45 will bulge to a coniiguration substantially the same as that shown in dotted lines o-f FIG. 7. The resilient collar provides additional resistance to downward movement of the peg support when the pegs are being depressed.

There is thus provided an automatic Cribbage board which can be operated in a simple and facile manner, which provides a permanent installation for the marking pegs, and which fulfills the foregoing listed objects.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic Cribbage board comprising a base member having Ia plurality of upstanding longitudinally extended ribs arranged in spaced parallel alignment, a plurality of longitudinally extended peg supports located in overlying Coextension with said ribs of said base member, guide means secured to the base member, said guide means having portions projected upwardly from opposite ends of each rib through openings in said peg supports thereby aligning said peg supports with the ribs, resilient means urging sa-id peg supports away from said ribs of said base member, stop means to prevent said peg supports from moving beyond a certain distance above said ribs, said peg supports presenting a plurality of peg mounting holes, and a plurality of pegs slidably mounted with a friction tit in said mounting holes of said peg supports, said pegs being movable lfrom an upwardly extended position to a depressed position wherein a portion thereof extends downwardly from said peg support in engagement with a top of a rib, said peg supports being adapted to substantially conceal said resilient means and being movable to a position contiguous to said base against the action of said resilient means to move depressed pegs to their extended position.

2. The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein each peg has a shank, a head member on a iirst end of said shank and a bottom portion on a second end of said shank, said bottom portion having an axial recess delined therein and open to the bottom end of said peg, said bottom end portion being compressible to permit its in- Vsertion within said peg mounting holes of said peg supports.

3. The Cribbage board defined in claim 1 wherein each peg has a shank member of substantially the same diameter as the hole in said peg support, a head on the shank member, said head having a diameter larger than the diameter of said hole, and a compressible bottom portion of a larger diameter than said shank, said bottom portion having outwardly directed shoulders and a recess defined therein allowing said bottom portion to be compressed to substantially the same diameter as said shank to permit insertion of the bottom portion and the shank member in a hole in one of the peg supports, said shoulders coacting with said peg support to prevent removal of the peg from the peg support.

4. The Cribbage board defined in claim 1 wherein said guide means comprise pins projected upwardly yfrom opposite ends of each rib, said pins projected through openings in said peg supports to align the peg supports with the ribs.

5. The Cribbage board deiined in claim 1 wherein said peg supports are channel shaped members positionable about said ribs when the peg supports are depressed.

6. The Cribbage board deiined in Claim 1 wherein said st-op means are secured to the guide means.

7. The Cribbage board defined in claim 1 wherein said resilient means is located about the guide means in engagement with the peg supports and the ribs.

8. An automatic Cribbage board comprising a base member having at least one longitudinally extended rib, at least one longitudinal peg support overlyingsaid Vrib of said base memlber, guide means secure-d* to the base member mounting said peg support adjacent said rib for movement .toward land away from said rib, resilient means urging said peg support away fromV said rifb of said base member, stop means to prevent said peg support from moving more than a Certain distance from said rib, a plurality of pegs slidably mounted with a friction lit in holes in said peg support, said pegs each being movable with respect to .the peg .support from an upwardly extended position to a depressed position in engagement with said rib, said peg support being selectively movable to a position contiguous to said base member against the action of said resilient means .to move said depressed peg-s to their extended positions, each peg having substantially the same diameter as the hole in the peg support, a head on the shank memlber, said head having a diameter larger than the diameter of said hole, and a compressible bottom portion of a larger diameter than said shank, said bottom portion having outwardly directed shoulders and f a recess deiined therein allowing said bottom portion to be Compressed to substantially the same diameter as said shank to prevent insertion of the bottom portion and the shank member in a hole in the peg support, said shoulders coacting with said peg support to prevent removal of the peg from the peg support.

9. An automatic Cribbage board Comprising a base member having -at least one longitudinally extended rib,

at least one longitudinal peg support overlying said rib of said base member, guide means secured to the Ibase member mounting said peg support adjacent said rib for movement toward and away from said rib, resilient means urging said peg support away from said rib of said base member, stop means to prevent saidv peg support from` to a position Contiguous to said base member against the action of said resilient means to'move the depressed pegs to their extended positions, said guide means comprising pins projected upwardly from opposite ends of each rilb, said pins projecting through and in said peg support to align the peg support with the rib.

10. An lautomatic -Cribbage board comprising a base member having at least one longitudinally extended rib, at least one longitudinal peg support overlying said rib of said base member, guide means secured to the base member mounting said peg support adjacent `said rib for movement toward and away from said rib, resilient means urging said peg support 4away from Vsaid rib of said base member, stop means to prevent said peg support from moving more than a certain distance from said rilb, and a plurality of pegs slidably mounted with a friction iit in holes in said peg support, said pegs each being movable with respect to the -peg support from an upwardly extended position to a depressed position -in engagement with said rib, said peg support being selectively movable to a position contiguous to said base member against the action of said resilient means to move the depressed pegs to their extended positions, said peg support being Consti-tuted as a channel-shaped mem-ber positionable about said rib when said peg support is depressed.

11. An automatic Cribbage board comprising a base menilber having at least one longitudinally extended rib,

at least one longitudinal peg support overlying said rib of said base member, guide means secured to the base member mountiiigsaid peg support adjacent said rib for movemen-t toward and away from said rib, resilient means urgv ing said peg' support away from said rib of said base member, s-top means to prevent said peg support from moving more than la certain distance from said rib, and a plurality of pegs slidably mounted with a friction t in holes in said peg support, said pegs each being movable with respect to the peg support from an upwardly extended position to a depressed'position in engagement with said rib, said peg support being selectively movable to a position contiguous to said ibase member against the action of said resilient means to mjove the depressed pegs to their extended po- References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 40,999 12/ 1863 Gill. 81,598 9/1868 Canary 23S-90 490,148 1/1893 Logue 273-136 X 1,280,903 10/ 1918 Troxel 235-90 X 2,038,026 4/1936 Daley 23S-90 X 2,540,061 1/ 1951 Szantay 46-1 2,558,170 6/1951 Byrd 235--90 X 2,614,841 10/ 1952 Joseph 235-90 X 3,195,813 7/ 1965 Hart 235-90 LOUIS I. CAPOZI, Primary Examiner.

sitions, wherein said resilient means is located about the 15 LEO SMILOW Examiner' guide means in engagement with the peg support and rib.

C. G. CovELL, J. G. MURRAY, Amman: Examiners. 

1. AN AUTOMATIC CRIBBAGE BOARD COMPRISING A BASE MEMBER HAVING A PLURALITY OF UPSTANDING LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDED RIBS ARRANGED IN SPACED PARALLEL ALIGNMENT, A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDED PEG SUPPORTS LOCATED IN OVERLYING COEXTENSION WITH SAID RIBS OF SAID BASE MEMBER, GUIDE MEANS SECURED TO THE BASE MEMBER, SAID GUIDE MEANS HAVING PORTIONS PROJECTED UPWARDLY FROM OPPOITE ENDS OF EACH RIB THROUGH OPENINGS IN SAID PEG SUPPORTS THEREBY ALIGNING SAID PEG SUPPORTS WITH THE RIBS, RESILIENT MEANS URGING SAID PEG SUPPORTS AWAY FROM SAID RIBS OF SAID BASE MEMBER, STOP MEANS TO PREVENT SAID PEG SUPPORTS FROM MOVING BEYOND A CERTAIN DISTANCE ABOVE SAID RIBS, SAID PEG SUPPORTS PRESENTING A PLURALITY OF PEG MOUNTING HOLES, AND A PLURALITY OF PEGS OF SLIDABLY MOUNTED WITH A FRICTION FIT IN SAID MOUNTING HOLES OF SAID PEG SUPPORTS, SAID PEGS BEING MOVABLE FROM AN UPWARDLY EXTENDED POSITION TO A DEPRESSED POSITION WHEREIN A PORTION THEREOF EXTENDS DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID PEG SUPPORT IN ENGAGEMENT WITH A TOP OF A RIB, SAID PEG SUPPORTS BEING ADAPTED TO SUBSTANTIALLY CONCEAL SAID RESIILIENT MEANS AND BEING MOVABLE TO A POSITION CONTIGUOUS TO SAID BASE AGAINST THE ACTION OF SAID RESILIENT MEANS TO MOVE DEPRESSED PEGS TO THEIR EXTENDED POSITION. 